Joe Scarborough Goes After Obama for ‘Partisan’ Speech During Shooting

Joe Scarborough and much of the Morning Joe panel took President Barack Obama to task for what they called a “partisan” speech that Obama gave on Monday, while the situation following the shooting at the nearby Navy Yard was still unfolding. The panel took issue both with the fact that the speech wasn’t postponed, and with the veracity of White House Press Secretary Jay Carney’s statement that the idea of postponing it was never considered.

“He brought his props along, and he had this political speech, and it was a harsh partisan speech from the President of the United States on any day,” Scarborough said. “He certainly has every right to do that, but on the day while people were hiding, while people were bleeding, while people were dying, while the nation was locked in on this, he’s talking about harsh partisanship, and Republicans wanting to hurt people. What is more partisan than not being able to put aside one of these stupid Washington battles?”

The panel also didn’t particularly buy Carney’s statement that delaying the speech “never came under consideration.”

“I’m not sure I would really believe Jay Carney about that,” John Heilemann said. “To say that it had been under consideration would simply open the door. My guess is that that may not have been not entirely true.”

“I can’t imagine if any other president did this,” Scarborough said. “The ramifications. George W? Can you imagine what certian people at this network, in 2006, 2007, or 2008, would have said? Mika [Brzezinski] would be killing George W. Everybody on this network would be killing George W. Everybody at the New York Times would be killing George W. Every journalist in Washington, D.C., would be killing George W.”

“I think he was put in a horrible position,” Brzezinski said.

“No, he wasn’t,” Scarborough said. “He’s President of the United States. He should be smart enough. The guy should be smart enough.”